World Cup's all-time record goalscorer Miroslav Klose uses a term that sums up
this brilliant Germany team perfectly after their historic win over Brazil
in Belo Horizonte

Miroslav Klose, the World Cup's new all-time record goalscorer, had a word for it that might yet become an accepted part of football lexicon. "We 'super-blend'," he explained.

Klose was attempting to describe a Germany performance and playing style that, for all Brazil's obvious faults, was mesmeric both in its efficiency and aesthetic appeal.

The super blend. Consider a mixture of creative talent that includes Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil, as well as Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger at the midfield base, and you start to get the point. Then throw in the options from the bench of Mario Gotze, Julian Draxler and Andre Schurrle, as well as Lukas Podolski, and it is quite clear that this Germany side has the potential to go down as one of the authentic greats of international football history.

Tuesday night's performance will certainly be listed among the best at any World Cup and, while they must still take that final step in Sunday's final, it is hard to seriously argue that there is a more complete national team now in world football.

Kroos and Muller were the principal architects but, even as they left Belo Horizonte to return to their remote purpose-built training base, there was the realisation that this 7-1 scoreline will mean little if it is not followed up at the Maracana on Sunday.

"We are a unit, we super-blend in training and it shows on the pitch," said Klose, who should know, having been the main beneficiary of such midfield artistry during the past decade.

Last night was his 16th goal across four World Cups and, with Ronaldo looking down from one of the commentary boxes, another adjustment to the World Cup record books that the hosts could have done without. Surpassing the record of Ronaldo was such a shock, said Klose, that even his trademark somersault was forgotten. Although the margin of victory was unexpected, there was less tangible surprise amongst the Germany players at having reached what is a record eighth World Cup final.

This team has actually been building towards this moment since major changes were made in the structures of German football at the end of what was widely considered to be a disastrous European Championships in 2000. A major focus was placed on developing, and giving a chance to homegrown talent, in the Bundesliga. There was a series of investments that are clearly now reaping benefit on both the club and international stage - and which the Football Association would do well to study.

"We realised the Brazilians were not so clear in their actions in the first few minutes, and we took advantage of that," said Kroos. "We delivered a marvellous performance but we're here to become world champions and we have not done that yet. No one becomes world champion in a semi-final.

"We'll have to deliver another top performance. If we don't, we'll lose the final. But I'm convinced we'll deliver another great performance. That's our purpose and goal."

Luiz Felipe Scolari particularly highlighted the experience of the Germany squad, pointing out that this was virtually the same team that had also reached the semi-finals in South Africa four years ago.

"We had a clear, persistent game-plan and, if we were courageous and believed in our own strengths, we would win this match," said Joachim Low, the Germany manager. "That the result would be so emphatic was not to be expected. Scoring three in four minutes Brazil were in shock, confused, and never returned to their original organisation. We were extremely cool and realised they were cracking up." Low was the assistant manager when Germany also lost in the semi-final as hosts and believes that Brazil were simply unable to cope mentally.

"Let's put it into context: the hosts were unable to deal with the pressure - they were shell-shocked," he said. "We know how Scolari feels, how the Brazilian team feel, and the people in Brazil feel right now. I remember the 2006 semi-final. It was an enormous heartbreak. I believe this defeat for Brazil will be difficult to digest. Despite all that, they have had a great World Cup. As a host they have organised a sensational tournament. It will be a difficult and painful defeat for them but they will be back. Let's not over-rate the result, even if it's never been so high before."

For all Low's caution, Germany will surely start as favourites whoever prevails in the second semi-final in Sao Paulo on Wednesday. "Now it's important we recover and are able to regenerate," said Low. "It's important we remain calm. The team is perfectly rooted. No euphoria. The final will be difficult but we want to win the final and will retain our concentration. This team is ready to deliver."